Mike Ross watched Ireland win the Grand Slam from his London home and told himself he could be a part of the successes to come.

It has taken five long years for that chance to present itself. Ross was in the extended squad as Ireland made history in 2009. He came home, leaving behind a top reputation at Harlequins to sit on the bench at Leinster for most of the following season.

Since then he has moved from the fringes of Irish rugby to centre-stage. The hard work could finally be about to pay off with a championship on the line in Paris on Saturday.

“The fact that they won it that year was a big watershed in Irish rugby,” said Ross, reflecting on the Grand Slam triumph in Cardiff.

“I was hoping that was just the first one and I’d be around for the next few. It hasn’t materialised like that.

“You’re aware that these opportunities don’t come along that often. You have to look to make the most of them when they do happen.

“At Leinster we won two Heineken Cups on the bounce. You were thinking, ‘this is alright, we’ll keep doing this’.

“And then we were dumped out in the group stages the following year. It brings it home to you how difficult it actually is.”

So at the age of 34, the engaging Cork-born prop faces into what he concedes is the biggest game of his career.

He freely admits to frustration at watching Wales chalk up Six Nations titles as Ireland struggled to find consistency since their Grand Slam breakthrough.

“We’ve been beating their clubs at Heineken Cup level quite consistently so not being able to turn that club form onto the international stage has been a source of frustration,” said Ross.

“We’ve done it in fits and starts. What we’ve seen this year is that we’ve had a consistent level of performance.”

So he can’t wait for it to start in the Stade de France cauldron.

“We will know exactly what we need to do come kick-off,” he stated, referring to Ireland’s strong points differential advantage.

“The Italy-England game will have finished up. And it would be nice if the Italians won.”

Ross compares the excitement that’s building inside and outside the Ireland camp to a Heineken Cup final. If the players do feel that’s the case, it’s a boost for their cause as most of the starters have experienced European club deciders.

“There are a few lads who won the Grand Slam like Drico and Paulie but a lot of us haven’t won anything in an Irish jersey,” pointed out Ross.

“We can draw on previous experiences. We know from Heineken Cup Finals what sort of pressure goes with that. This will just be a little bit more.”

The Joe Schmidt influence also adds to Ireland’s sense of confidence as they chase a first win in Paris in 14 years.Ross reiterates what others have said before, that Schmidt’s attention to detail informs the players on what they need to do in all aspects of the game.

“That translates into a cleaner breakdown, a more accurate scrum, a better line-out,” he said.

“I think so far in the Six Nations we’ve had the quickest ruck time, which is a testament to everyone knowing exactly what they’re doing.”

But if there’s a reason to be cautious, Ross spells it out. As bad as France have been at times, they are also in with a shout for the championship – albeit a slim one.

More importantly, they have the potential to click and to humble any side, no matter how well prepared.

“Yeah, they’re really annoying that way,” said Ross. “You can’t count on anything with them because in the World Cup they lost to Tonga and then got to the final and should have won that.”

MIike Ross is not happy with the French press - because he predicts they’ve provoked Les Bleus into a performance against Ireland.

Front row rival Nicolas Mas walked out of a press conference on Tuesday due to the criticism heaped on the French scrum and Ross claims it can only work in the hosts’ favour in Paris.

“Thanks to your media counterparts for winding him up,” he said. “I’m sure that will be pretty useful this weekend.

“I know if I was him and got that fired up I’d be going out all guns blazing that weekend.

“Because a team that is getting heavily criticised tends to draw around one another and take extra motivation.

“The French are very proud at home. Whatever about their away form they’re always 20 to 30 per cent harder to beat at home.

“France are the only team to have beaten England in the Six Nations this year and pulled away from Italy quite comfortably.

“They didn’t play particularly well against Scotland but still got the win.”

Mas described the French scrum as a ‘wayward child’ and Ross admits he didn’t see much wrong with it in November that needed changing.

“Look, they’ve changed the scrummaging massively this season. For an old stager like he is – says I, and he’s younger than I am,” Ross quipped.

“It’s going to be a tough battle this weekend. I would know Thomas Domingo quite well. We’ve butted heads a good few times at this stage.

“He’s a good lad. I’m sure we’ll sit down and have a beer after the game this weekend but hopefully I’ll be happier than he is.”

Jonny Sexton (Photo: Getty)

Mike Ross believes Johnny Sexton’s French experience this season makes the grass at home seem greener.

Much was made of Sexton being in demand by Racing Metro in the opening months of the season after making the move to the Top 14.

But Ross smiles at the reference. “Listen, he’s an out-half, he’s not sticking his head in the scrum every week,” he joked.

“Player welfare, how are ya!”.

Throughout his career, the burly prop has barely had a weekend off when he is fit.

That was the case as Ross forged his reputation in the Premiership in England and Joe Schmidt recognised the need to keep playing the big prop for Leinster and now for Ireland.

“To be honest before Johnny moved the French always thought you were using them to try to pump up your own worth, which wouldn’t have been inaccurate for a lot of lads,” said the veteran.

“It’s definitely become more of an option, I think, but with Johnny’s experience it does make you appreciate what you have here.”

Ross was the only starter at Twickenham almost three weeks ago who was under orders to start for his province the week after.

“It’s been the case my entire career,” he said. “When Joe was at Leinster he never gave me a solid week off, it was always, ‘yeah, well, I’ll give you until Thursday off and then you’re getting beasted’.

“You can get a bit jealous at times but at the same time, if you want to play as best you can it’s the best way - for me, anyway - to keep ticking over.”

Ross predicts he’ll be “fed to the conditioners” at Leinster on Thursday next week but hopes for the following weekend off before Leinster take on Munster in the Pro 12 and then go to Toulon for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.

It has become the norm for him. “It certainly has,” he said. “The first year I came to Leinster aside, that’s been pretty much my career in a nutshell.

“I remember when I came to Harlequins we didn’t rotate the front row much. I think myself and the loose-head there, Gary Jones, we must have been in the top 10 every single year for minutes played.

“We averaged about 2,500 minutes a season, that second season there I played 14 games of 80 minutes on the bounce - week after week after week after week.”